Printing telegraph apparatus



p R. D. SALMON ET AL 2,346,944

PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11,-1945 3,Sheets-Sheet l April 18, 1944. R. D. SALMON ET AL.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11, 1943 s sheets sheet 2 April 18, 1944. R. D. sA| MoN ET AL T. 2,34 6,944

PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS I Filed Aug. 11, 1945 I 3* Sheefs-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 18, 1944 PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Reginald Dennis Salmon and Alan Arthur Kirchel, Croydon, England, assignors to Creed and Company Limited, Croydon, England, a

British company Application August 11, 1943, Serial No. 498,190 In Great Britain August 14, 1942 12 Claims.

This invention relates to printing telegraph receivers and more particularly to .the mechanism for selecting a function to be performed, as distinct from selecting a character to be printed.

The selection of a function is commonly performed by means of combination members, set in accordance with the received signal elements, which allow a spring actuated selector member to move towards the combination members, e. g.- into a series of aligned slots in such members.- It has hitherto been usual to provide that the selector member, in moving towards the combination members, positioned an interposing memher in the path of a bail or other cam operated member and it was thus necessary for the selec tor member to remain in its forward position until the performance of the function was definitely determined. The selector member must then be withdrawn from contact with the combination members in order to allow of th combination member being set in accordance with the elements of the next signal. The time allowed for this sequence of operations i limited, and the movements of the selector members into and out of selected position must therefore take place with great rapidity. This is a source of noise and wear in operation,

It is an object of the invention to reduce the noise and wear of the function selecting mechanism.

According to one feature of the present invention we provide a printing telegraph receiver in which a selector member is allowed to be moved by a spring in one direction to select a function to be performed and is moved in the other direction to initiate the performance of the selected function.

In this manner, the movements of the selector members can be less rapid and therefore less noisy, since the time allotted to both movements can include a large fraction of the time formerly taken by themovement of the cam operated member.

Among the functions normally provided in page printing telegraph apparatus are printing. letter spacing, figure shift, letter shift, paper line feed, carriage return, sending of an answer back signal from an associated transmitter in response to the who are you signal, and the like. The printing and the letter space functions are usually treated in an entirely different manner from the remainder of the functions. It also frequently happens that it is desired to provide for the performance of some additional function. in an existing apparatus, and this is perforce then arranged to be carried out in some manner which is different from that in which the other functions are carried out; and it may even be It is a further object of the present inventionto provide function selecting and initiating apparatus in which all functions may be selected and their performance initiated'in a generally similar manner, so that it will be easy to add other functions, should that be necessary,in aconvenient and simple manner without havin recourse to what in effect amount to mechanical subterfuges such a exist on many if not all existing apparatus.

Other features of the invention will appear from the following description and the claims.

In carrying out the main object of the invention, we provide a selector bar for each-function, which is allowed to move in one direction and then positively moved in the other direction carrying with it in this last mentioned movement a secondary bar which initiates the performance of the function. In most cases the selector bar is only allowed to move in the first direction when the function is selected for performance, but since the functions of printing and letter spacing are required in the great majority of selections. the selector bars for these functions are moved invariably and invariably carry with them their corresponding secondary bars in the other direction. In th few cases in which printing or letter spacing is not be performed, this is because some other function has been selected and means is provided therefore for causing the selection of. this last mentioned function to arrest the movement of the secondary bar for the printing. and/or letter spacing function before it has.

travelled far enough to initiate the performance of its function.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an expanded perspective view of the Fig. 4 showsthe function mechanism by which the release and arrest of a reperforator is controlled.

Referring to the drawings, I, 2, 3, 4, and 5 denote combination bars which are set in accordance with received signal elements by means of levers BI and cams 52 in the manner described in British Patent No. 482,048. Pivoted to the left hand ends of these bars are levers I00, each formed with a forked member embracing a rod 4|. When the combination bars are moved lengthwise, the forked levers I can slide on rod 4|. At the conclusion of setting a cam IIlI acts on a bellcrank lever 43 tocause a hammer 56 on each of the levers I00 to" strike one or other of two horizontal portions of detent levers I H or H2 (parts only of which are shown) controlling the release of a disc as' described in United States Patent No. 2,127,145, issued to Salmon on Aug. 16, 1938. Each disc controls the movement of the planet wheel of a sun and planet element of an aggregate motiontranslating mechanism which positions a type wheel I 02, Fig. 2 fora selected character to be printed. The type wheel I02 is in the form of atype cylinder which is selectively rotated and moved longitudinally by means of two mechanical aggregate motion systems as described in- British Patent No. 441,090, although differing from the latter in that the two aggregate motion systems are, as stated above, sun and planet gear systems. For the purpose of printing the type cylinder I02 is carried in a frame I 03 which is moved parallel to a paper platen- IM by means of a pinion I engaging a rack I05. The pinion I05 is rotated one tooth at a time by a worm gear I01 on the same shaft which is rotated by a worm I 08 through a friction clutch (not shown) but is normally held stationary until released for one revolution. The frame I03 is moved to bring the typecylinder I 02 against the platen I'M for printing by the action of a printing cam I09 driven through a friction clutch but normally'held stationary'. The printing mechanism is generally similar to that described in British Patent No. 441,090 and is also similar thereto in that the movement of the type cylinder axially in accordance with figure shift or letter shift signals is performed by an' additional element (sun and planet in the case considered) of one of the aggreate motion systems. The letter spacing is, however, not carried out as described in British Patent No. 441,090 but in a manner that will presently appear.

A plurality of selector members 6', I, 8, 9 (Fig. 1), I0, II (Figs. 2 and 3), I2, I3 (Fig. 3), and I l, I5 (Fig. 4) is provided, one for each function to be performed. These members differ from one another in the arrangement of projections thereunder. The selector bars I0 and II, allotted to the letter spacing and printing functions, are not provided with any projections thereunder. The other selector bars are provided with projections thereunder which co-act with notches in the combination bars I 5 and in additional combination bars 25 and 25. The selector bar 9, for example, is for the figure shift function and is provided with projections which co-act with notches in the combination bars I 5 and the same applies to selector bar I, which is allotted to the all negative signal. The selector bar 6 which may be regarded as a typical selector bar for a function to be selected after all the bars I 5 and 25 and 26 have been set has projections co-acting with notches in all these bars.

Each selector'bar '6 I5 is urged to the right by a spring such as B) and its right hand end rests against a common bail 20. When the combination bars I 5 have been set the bail 20 is moved to the right by a cam III Selector bars I0 and II ar drawn to the right by their springs and any other selector bar that finds notches in the combination bars so aligned as to allow the projections thereunder to pass through a series of aligned notches is also drawn to the right.

Each selector bar 6 II and I4 and I5 is provided with a pawl 6a Ila and Ma, I5a pivoted to the selector bar and having two arms. These arms areheld one upright and one horizontal, by a spring 6b IIb and I012, I511. At the end of the horizontal arm of each pawl is a toothBc. H0 and I40, I5c. When the selector bar is allowed to move to the right the tooth 6c ..IIc and I40, I5c rides past a tooth 501.. H03 and I 411, I5d on a corresponding secondary bar 0e He and. Me, I5e. The bail 20 is then returnedtothe left by cam I I0 and positively moves the selected selector bar to the left. The tooth to Ho and I40, I then catches the tooth 6d Isl-d, I- Id, [5d and carries the corresponding secondary bar Ge Ite, Me, I5ewith it. The secondary bar B'e I Ie, Me, I-Ee initiates the required: function:

Each of the selector bars 6 I5 (except bars I0 and II) is provided with an upright projection 6h 9b and I2h I5h. This projection co-acts with two horizontal bars 2| and 22 which are pivoted at 24. When therefore a selector bar such as '6 is moved to the right the projection such as 6h thereon moves both bars 2I and 22- in an anti-clockwise direction. The bar 2|.- suppresses the printing f-unction, and the bar 22 suppresses the spacing function when so moved as will presently appear.

The operation: of the selection of certain functions willno'w be described,

Printing and letter space junctions. (Fig. 2)

Selector bar I I is the bar for the printing function and selector bar I0 that for the letter space function accompanying printing. When ball 20 moves to the right bars I0 and II are always drawn to the right, carryingwith them pawls Ifla and Ha. The upright arm of pawl Ila is high enough to co-act with bars 2I (bar 22 being cut away opposite said arm), as well as with a fixed bar 23 beneath the bars 2I and 22,,whi1st the up right arm of pawl [0a co-acts with the bar 22 only, bar 2| being cut away opposite pawl Illa.

When bail 20 is moved to the left and moves selector bars I0 and II to the left the teeth I00 and I I0 on the horizontal arms of pawls Wu and II a engage the teeth I0d and Hal on secondary bars We and I le respectively and move secondary bars We and He to the left. Secondary bar I-0e engages a lever 3| to release for rotation for one revolution cam 5-I which is fixed to the same shaft as worm I08 and so rotates worm I08 which in turn rotates pinions I01 and I05 to move rack I06 by one letter space. Secondary bar IIe engages bell crank lever 32- which in turn rotates bell crank lever 52- clockwise and releases for ro tation for one revolution a detent cam 53 and printing cam I09; The latter reciprocates the type wheel I02 against and away from platen I04. Bail 20 moves to the leftbeyond its normal position and as selector bars I0 and II reach the end of their travel the upright arms of pawls I01; and Ma engage the fixed bar 23 and disengage the teeth I0c and lie from the teeth Ind and IId respectively and the secondary bars We and lie are returned to their normal positions by their respective springs. Bail 20 moves back to its normal position and selector bars 10 and II follow it.

If the printing function is to be suppressed the upper bar 2| will have been moved in an anti-clockwise rotation and will engage the vertical arm of pawl Ila to rotate the pawl clockwise and prevent the tooth l lc engaging the tooth ll d on the secondary bar He. The secondary bar He will therefore not be carried to the left with the return movement of the bar H. The bar 2| is cut with a notch opposite the upright arm of pawl Illa so that movement of bar 2| counterclockwise does not affect pawl Illa, but does rotate pawl Ila.

If the letter spacing function is to be suppressed bar 22 will have been moved counterclockwise and will act on pawl lta to prevent movement of secondary bar we in the same manner as described above for the action of bar 2| in preventing movement of secondary bar He.

Figure shift and letter shift. (Fig. 1)

Selector bar 9 is for the figure shift function and is selected by a series of aligned notches in the combination bars I 5. When bail 20 moves to the right therefore selector bar 9 can only follow it when allowed to do so by the combination set up on the bars 9 5. The projection 9h on selector bar 9 is of such height as to move both bars 2! and 22 anti-clockwise when selector bar 8 moves to the right and so suppresses both printing and letter spacing functions. The secondary bar 96 associated with selector bar 9 is provided with a downward projection 92' at its right-hand end, which engages with one arm of a three arme'd lever 40. Another arm of lever 40 is engaged by a similar downward projection 81 on the secondary bar 8e associated with the selector bar 8 for the letter shift signal. A third arm of the lever 49 engages between two uprights on a combination bar 25 arranged parallel to the combination bars I 5.

When the selector bar 9 is selected and allowed to move to the right by bail 20 and the aligned slots in the bars I 5, the tooth 90 on the pawl 9a engages behind the tooth 9d on the secondary bar 9e and when bail 20 moves to the left the secondary bar Be is moved to the left and rotates the three armed lever 26. This latter then moves the bar 25 to the right.

The bar 25 is furnished, like bars I 5,

with a pivoted lever I80 and when rod M is moved downwards by cam Hil the hammer 56 on the lever lilii associated with bar 25 operates an additional sun and planet element to effect the figure shift function. The bar 25, like the bars I 5, remains in the position into which it is set, until reset into opposite position.

The bars I 5 and 25 are shown in Fig. 1 in their extreme left hand positions. These bars are formed with notches which co-act with projections on the underside of'the selector bars (except H! and H) to allow of a certain selector bar being selected when the notches are in alignment with the projections. No attempt has been made in the drawings to show any particular arrangement of notches which will be in alignment for any particular code selection, the bars I 5 being shown in position for the allnegative selection and the notches therein being shown aligned for the projections on all the selector bars 6 9 and I2 l5. It will, however, be clear to anyone skilled in the art. how the notches and projections are arranged since such arrangement iswell known. It is clear that the bar 25 acts to select certain function selector bars which are only to be selected in the figure shift position.

It is to be noted that the upright portions of pawls Ea 9a and Ma and I50. are of less height than those of pawls Illa and Ha and do not contact withthe bars 2! and 22 but only with fixed bar 23.

Functions selected by three difierent signals. (Fig. 1)

Certain functions require for their selection three different signals in succession, viz. the figure shift signal, the all negative signal and a function signal. For this purpose a seventh combination bar 25 is provided, normally urged in one direction by a spring El. The selector bar l is provided for the all negative signal, and when bail 20 moves to the right, this selector bar also moves to the right if selected by the setting of combination bars I 5. When the bail 20 moves selector bar 1 to the left, the pawl la carries the secondary bar 1e to the left and a vertical projection 58 thereon engages one arm of a two-armed bell crank lever 59 and rotates it counter clockwise. The other arm of lever 59 en ages combination bar 26 and moves it to the left against its spring 51. A pawl 60 mounted on a fixed portion of the machine has a tooth 6| which rests behind a tooth 62 on secondary bar 1e. Each time bail 20 reaches its extreme right hand position, pawl 60 is rotated counter clockwise and the tooth 6| thereon is moved away from tooth 62 on bar ie. When bail 20 moves back to the left it allows pawl 60 to be rotated clockwise by its spring 63 and to come into position to engage the tooth 62 and when secondary bar He is released it is prevented from returning to normal position. The secondary bar l'e holds combination bar 26 in set position. The combination bar 2'6 then permits certain selector bars to move to the right following the next signal combination. Any selector bar associated with a function requiring the all negative signal is provided with a depending projection adapted to engage with the combination bar 26 in its unset position but to pass through a notch therein when itis held in set position.

The movement of the bail 2a to the right following the receipt of a signal after the all negative signal rotates pawl 50 out of engagement with tocth 82 so leaving secondary bar 1e free to be restored to normal position and thus restore combination bar 26 to normal position.

. Combination bar 25 is, however, held by the new selector bar having entered a notch therein, but when ball 2% moves to the left to initiate the required function, combination bar 25-is returned by spring 5'! to normal position.

Functions selected-by repetition of the same signal lar to tooth id adapted to engage with the pawl- (such as la) carried by the selector bar, and with two teeth, similar to tooth 62 engaging with a pawl similar to pawl 60. Upon receipt of the first signal the selector bar moves forward through an aligned series of notches in the combination bars I 5, so that. the pawl carried thereby picks up the first tooth on the secondary bar. The secondary bar is thus carried forward to the left and by engagement with the fixed pawl is held in that position. The secondary bar is of such a length that during this first movement it does not reach the associated function control lever. Upon receipt of the same signal combination a second time the secondary bar is moved forward through a second tooth space so that the end of the secondary bar is almost touching its function control lever, and is again held by the fixed pawl. Then upon receipt" of the same signal combination a third time the secondary bar will be moved sufliciently far to engage and operate its associated function control lever.

If the signal combination is received once or twice and is then followed by a different combination the movement of the bail 20 to the right will release the pawl mounted on the frame of the apparatus from engagement with the secondary bar and the latter will be returned to normal position since it will not be engaged by the pawl on the selector bar.

Reciprocal functions Functions which respectively initiate and terminate a particular control may be termed reciprocal functions. Figure shift and letter shift already described fall in this class. Other examples are release and arrest of a reperiorating device. In the case of figure and letter shift the reciprocal action is ensured by an additional combination bar 25. In the case of the reperforator release and arrest, the reciprocal action is accomplished in a similar manner, as far as possible. Selector bars I and [4 (Fig, 4) are allotted to reperforator release and reperforator arrest respectively. The corresponding secondary bars I 5e and Me are provided with upright projections each engaging an arm of a three armed lever 64, the third arm 65 cooperating with a spring (not shown) whereby the lever is held in one or the other of two set positions. A fourth arm 66 is pivoted on the lever 54 and is held against a stop thereon by a spring. A third selector bar I6 is provided and furnished with a projection with which the arm 56 engages. The selector bar I5 has no projections on its underside but is provided with a pawl I60. and a secondary bar I Se in the same way as other selector bars.

Upon receipt of the reperforator release signal the selector bar I5 is selected and when the bail moves to the right and then back to the left, the pawl l5a moves the secondary bar lie to the left to rotate the three armed lever 64 and so move the arm 66 clear of the projection on the selector bar I6.

Any subsequent movement of the bail 20 to the right permits the selector bar I6 to move to the right and when the bail 20 moves to the left the pawl lBa moves the secondary bar Ifie which acting upon a lever 67 releases a detent 63 to effect release of the reperforator.

When the reperforator arrest signal is received and bail 20 moves to the right the selector bar I4 will be allowed to move to the right, as well as selector bar I6, and when bail 20 move to the left secondary bar Me, as well as secondary bar I59, will move to the left. The three armed lever 64 will be rotated to bring the arm 66 there- 011, against the projection in selector bar I6 and this; selector bar will thus be prevented from moving to the right upon subsequent movement of bail 29.

Spacing without printing (Fig. 3)

The spacing signal causes the selection of a selector bar I2 which does not carry a pawl and is not provided with a secondary bar. It is, however, provided with an upright projection I271. which i high enough to be opposite bars 2| and 22. Bar 22 is provided with a notch opposite projection I271. so that selector bar I271 in moving to the right does not move bar 22. Bar 2| is, however, moved and thus on selection of selector bar I2 printing is suppressed.

Printing without spacing (Fig. 3)

Onthe selection of some characters, such as an accent, it is desired to print the character but to suppress the spacing operation. The signal combination for such a character moves the combination bars I 5 and possibly 25 to present a series of aligned notches to a selector bar I3 which does not carry a pawl and is not associated with a secondary bar. The upright projection I371. on the selector bar I3 moves the bar 22 anti-clockwise to engage the pawl Illa on the selector bar III to suppress the letter spacing function, but does not move the bar 2| to suppress the printing function since the bar 2| is furnished with a notch opposite projection I371.

What is claimed is:

1. Printing telegraph receiver including a se lector member, spring means for moving said member in one direction for function selection, means for moving said member in the other direction, and means actuated by the latter movement for initiating the performance of the selected function.

2. Printing telegraph receiver comprising a selector member for a function to be performed, a secondary member associated with the selector member, means for moving the selector member in one direction when the corresponding function is selected, means for returning the selector member in the reverse direction, means actuated by the selector member for moving said secondary member with it in the reverse direction and means actuated by the movement of said secondary member in said reverse direction for initiating the performance of said function.

3. Printing telegraph receiver comprising a bail member, means operable after the receipt of each signal to reciprocate said bail member, a plurality of selector members one for each function to be performed in the receiver, spring means for biasing each selector member toward said bail member, means for restraining said selector member against movement toward the bailed member, means for releasing a selected selector member arranged to permit the selected member to be drawn by an individual spring to follow the movement of said bail member in one direction and to be moved by said bail in its movement in the other direction and means operative on movement of the said selector member in the last mentioned direction to initiate the performance of the required function.

4. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 3 including means for invariably selecting the selector members for the printing function and the letter space function accompanying printing at each reciprocation of said bail, combination bars arranged for selection of selector members for other functions, means effective on the selection of a selector member for one of said other functions to prevent the movement of the selector member for at least one of said printing and letter space functions from being effective in initiating the performance of its corresponding function.

5. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 3 including a secondary member associated with each of a plurality of selector members and means for causing the selector member when moved in one direction to move with it its associated secondary member and means for causing said last mentioned movement of said secondary member to initiate the performance of a function.

6. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 2 including a pawl pivoted on a selector member and a cooperating abutment on said secondary member arranged for engagement by the pawl during movement of said secondary member in reverse direction arranged to move said secondary member in said reverse direction.

7. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 1 comprising combination bars, one for each element of a received signal, means for settin said combination bars in accordance with the respective elements of a signal, selector mem bers lying transversely of said combination bars complementary means on the combination bars and selector members arranged to enable selector members selected by a particular setting of said combination bars to move relatively to said combination bars.

8. Printing telegraph receiver comprising a pinrality of combination bars, one for each element of a received signal, means for setting said combination bars in accordance with the respective elements of such signal, longitudinally movable selector members lying transversely of said combination bars, complementary means on said selector and combination bar arranged to release a selected selector member for longitudinal movement, means for imparting to such released bar an advance and return movement, and means actuated by said released bar duringthe return movement for initiating a function of said receiver.

9. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 8 in which the complementary means includes notches in said combination bars and projections on said selector members arranged to engage the combination bars and prevent lengthwise movement of the selector bars except when each projection on a selector bar is in alignment with a notch in the adjacent combination bar.

10. Printing telegraph receiver comprising a plurality of combination bars, means for positioning said bars in accordance with the elements of a received signal, a plurality of selector bars, means for moving the selector bars to initiate functions of the receiver controlled by the setting of the combination bars, and means for preventing a selector bar from initiating such function including a member movable into engagement with such selective bar during its movement by said moving means.

11. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 10 including selector bars for initiating the printing and letter spacing functions respectively, said preventing means including means actuated by another selector bar for selectively preventing the operation of said printing selector bar and letter spacing selector bar respectively.

12. Printing telegraph receiver as claimed in claim 2, including a function actuating member, and means for shifting said member into and out of operation including means actuated by a secondary member for shifting said means into actuating position and means associated with another secondary member for shifting said actuating means out of actuating position.

REGINALD DENNIS SALMON. ALAN ARTHUR KIRCHEL. 

